'Star Wars' on stage

First "Lord of the Rings" and "The Golden Compass" ... you just knew George Lucas could not allow "Star Wars" to be left behind.

The franchise that had tapped into seemingly every way to reach the public is headed toward the final frontier: a stage spectacular filled with the music of composer John Williams.

This won't be a musical in the traditional sense, as was attempted in the case of "Rings" and "The Golden Compass." But Lucas isn't one for tradition. BBC America reports that in "Star Wars: A Musical Journey," London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will play a live score and narrators will help to move things along as two hours of excerpts from the six films are shown on a big screen. Williams has "painstakingly rewritten" the score he wrote for the movies to fit the stage show, a statement said.

The "musical journey" will launch at the O2 arena in London in April before a European tour.

BBC America reported that The Royal Philharmonic will use an 86-piece orchestra and an accompanying exhibition will feature original models, props, costumes and production artwork.

As an aside in the BBC story, it noted that the lightsabre made from an old photography flashgun and used by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in both the original "Star Wars: A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back," has been sold for $200,000 (£133,000) at an auction of Hollywood memorabilia in Los Angeles.